has zone VI studios ever modified other lightmeters?

phildo · Nov 22, 2005

several weeks ago, i heard people talking about zone VI modified equipment and i had no idea what zone VI until i talked to my photography professor about it and a few google searches later.

so, i know lots of people have zone VI modified pentax digital spot meters and i'd like to get one myself... as soon as i can afford one. it seems to be a pretty popular item.

but i just picked up a gossen luna pro off of ebay and one thing that i didn't notice in the auction photos was a zone VI studios sticker under the clear dial, complete with a zone scale.

so, as the title says, has zone VI been known to modify other light meters? is it possible that this meter is modifed by zone VI?

Lee L · Nov 22, 2005

Some of the versions of the Luna Pro came with a zone scale from the manufacturer. I can't name all the models offhand, but I know for certain that the Luna Pro F came with a silver-on-black zone I through zone IX scale next to the EV readout dial.

I believe there were other zone system stickers made for models in the Luna Pro series, but am not familiar with them.

Lee

ann · Nov 22, 2005

i don't remember if they modified that meter, but they did sell a variety of scales for various meters.

i would have to go back and see if i can find an old catalog in the files to be sure.

Peter Schrager · Nov 22, 2005

Meters

I believe the only other meter that was modified by ZoneVI was the soligor spot meter. I have one for too long to remember and it works fine. If you are finding other meters with a ZoneVI dial on it was sold by them and added to the meter by the owner. The Soligors do come up on Ebay every so often and are still worth buying...
Peter

bill schwab · Nov 22, 2005

I too had one of the Soligor "modified" spot meters. I actually bought it right from Fred Picker at the Zone VI Workshop way back in 1981. It actualy worked until just recently. What I was told is that it was calibrated by them after factory and the scale sticker was already on it. That is the extent of "modification" as far as I know.

The scale was useful, but really no different than finding the middle gray and counting back or forward a stop per zone.

Good Luck!

Bill

Donald Miller · Nov 22, 2005

I believe, if I remember correctly, that Fred did advertise that they would modify other meters at one time. I think that this was addressed in his Zone VI newsletters.

Peter Schrager · Nov 22, 2005

meter

The meters have a special pass filter put in them. So it was not just a sticker.
Someone more technical than me can probably pucker up here. All I know is that
mine works and I can just put a filter over the front and do the reading. Ok-it's just a tool and I keep an old WestonV for backup with me at all times. (no battery)
Peter

photomc · Nov 22, 2005

IIRC the Pentax Digital, Pentax V, and Soligor were actually modified (not sure what was done) and sold as Zone VI modified. As Donald there may have been others on request. The Luna Pro as well as other Gossen meters (have Luna-Lux) did come with the zone scale as part of the meter as an aid (to my knowledge Gossen did not send these to Zone VI for calibration). So, odds are you have one of the factory model Luna Pros that came with the zones as part of the built-in dial and was not a sticker.

Should also note that not all Pentax or Soligor meters with the sticker are Zone VI modified, but as was mentioned previously, were added by the owner of the meter..these can still be purchased from Calumet. IIRC, Richard Ritter will still perform the modification on some meters so if you really want one that is calibarted check with him. BTW, Congratulations on the new meter.

lee · Nov 22, 2005

Peter Schrager said:
I believe the only other meter that was modified by ZoneVI was the soligor spot meter. I have one for too long to remember and it works fine. If you are finding other meters with a ZoneVI dial on it was sold by them and added to the meter by the owner. The Soligors do come up on Ebay every so often and are still worth buying...
Peter

This is how I remember it, also. The Pentax digi and analog and Soligor are all I am aware of that Zone VI modified.

lee\c

Donald Miller · Nov 22, 2005

As an aside to this. I think that every meter that Zone VI modified has a sticker that attests to the modification. Those meters that have only the zone scale and no sticker that says the meter was modified are probably not modified.

I did check my Zone VI newsletters and my recollection was accurate. That Fred did offer to modify other meters at one time...whether any were modified remains to be seen.

Donald Miller · Nov 22, 2005

As an aside to this. I think that every meter that Zone VI modified has a sticker that attests to the modification. Those meters that have only the zone scale and no sticker that says the meter was modified are probably not modified.

The modification amounted to an IR filter and some sharp cutting filters to allow the meter to more closely approximate the spectral qualities of films.

I did check my Zone VI newsletters and my recollection was accurate. That Fred did offer to modify other meters at one time...whether any were modified remains to be seen.

ann · Nov 22, 2005

I checked a first edition of his book and he list a modification of the Weston Ranger #9 and of course the spot meter

Richard T Ritter · Nov 23, 2005

Zone VI Studios modified only two meters the Soligor and the Pentax. There are two ways of telling if the meter has been modified. First look for the sticker that says it was modified. It is not the Zone system scale; the modification sticker is black with silver letters. Second way send it to me I worked for Zone VI and did the work on the meters. I still repair and calibrate then. I have seem a few that were modified and the stickers fell off.

phildo · Nov 23, 2005

okay, rad. just curious.

rexp · Nov 23, 2005

I have a Zone VI modified Pentax Spotmeter which I purchased in the early 80's. I paid $450 which at the time was a BUNCH (I had to dig out my old Zone VI catalog to check the price). When I received it there was a small baggie with the original dichroic filter and the sensor, which both were replaced with custom devices by Fred's group. He had filters made with a curve that better matched the response of film (although I am not sure WHAT film they were trying to match). The meter is still functional, accurate and used often. YMMV, but I really like mine.

has zone VI studios ever modified other lightmeters?

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